This invention relates to emulsions and spin finishes for incorporation with synthetic organic polymer yarn or yarn products to render the same oil repellent and resistant to soiling.
The treatment of textiles with fluorochemicals to impart oil repellency and soil resistance has been known for some time. U.S. Application Ser. No. 861,372, filed Dec. 16, 1977 U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,610, discloses that polycarboxybenzenes esterified with certain partially fluorinated alcohols and with hydroxyl-containing organic radicals such as 2-hydroxyethyl, glyceryl, and chlorohydryl or bromohydryl, when incorporated with polyethylene terephthalate or synthetic long-chain polyamide fibers as by contact in a liquid medium, concentrate at the fiber surface, especially if the fiber is annealed. A relatively durable oil and water repellency is thus imparted to the fiber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,839 to Marshall, hereby incorporated by reference, indicates that the oil repellent fluorocarbon compounds of U.S. Application Ser. No. 861,372 are not compatible with the lubricating oils in spin finishes used in a conventional spin finish, and further, that the emulsifying components of some known spin finishes are not suitable for preparing an oil in water emulsion containing these oil repellent fluorocarbon compounds. U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,839 discloses a spin finish which has the oily properties of a conventional spin finish and which also imparts to the yarn the oil repellent properties of the fluorocarbon finish of U.S. Application Ser. No. 861,372 U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,610. However, we have found that the disclosed spin finish causes serious processing problems when a finish circulating pump is utilized in the finish circulation system of a conventional spinning process, i.e., the fluorocarbon separates, clogs and stops the finish circulating pump. Accordingly, extensive research has been carried out to develop an improved spin finish which possesses the desirable properties of both of the aforementioned applications and which will not gradually separate in the finish circulation system during commercial processing of the yarn. As a by-product of this research, a yarn finish composition has been discovered which, when incorporated with synthetic organic polymer yarn or yarn products, renders the same oil repellent and resistant to soiling.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,997,450 to Steinmiller and 4,046,930 to Johnson et al. are believed to be pertinent to the present invention.